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Beware of Sonoran Outfitters!

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please post a link to where you find hunting report talking about sonoran oufitters and todd -

 

I tried looking it up and it asked me to pay. Anyone got a copy the can post up?

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Here is all I have seen…..

 

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Last month we promised you a more complete picture on the various complaints we've received recently on Todd Rice and Sonoran Outfitters on hunts in Mexico. Unfortunately, at this point, we're not sure any amount of digging will clear up the muck surrounding this operation. The more we dig, the worse it looks.

A quick re-cap is in order. The first indication of trouble was when we received reports from Carl Lohrer and Randy Cramer (9603, 9604) who had taken sheep on hunts with Rice, but had not received their trophies. Cramer had a legally binding arbitrated agreement in which Rice promised him a return hunt. Rice defaulted on that agreement and Cramer has since been awarded $41,000 in restitution and court costs. Rice told us that he couldn't fulfill the arbitrated agreement because sheep tags were hard to come by. But we have since received a hunt report on a sheep hunt that Rice marketed as a "last-minute" opportunity after he defaulted. The hunter who filed that report has asked us not to publish it as yet because, as of May 21, he had not received his sheep trophy, despite being promised it much earlier. We are awaiting the resolution of that situation.

As of May 21 Cramer told us he and his legal team had been unable to collect from Rice any of the $41,000 owed to him. In the meantime, we received a report (9623) from subscriber David Trinchero on a February 2013 mule deer hunt with Rice. Trinchero contends that deer were scarce and small on the property he was taken to and that Rice seemed unconcerned about moving him to a more productive property. Before his mule deer hunt Trinchero had put down a deposit with Rice on a pronghorn hunt. We have copies of extensive email correspondence between Trinchero and Rice regarding this. When we asked Rice for his side of that story, he responded with what we can only describe as a vicious personal attack on Trinchero that failed to address in any way the facts of the hunt. For legal and ethical reasons, we will not print what amounts to personal slander. This report and Rice's response in some significant ways echoes a previous negative report (9126) and rebuttal on another 2013 deer hunt. There too we printed only that portion of Rice's rebuttal which spoke directly to the hunt.

On May 4 Paul Dachton sent us a revision to his earlier, positive report (9492) on his November, 2013 sheep hunt with Todd Rice and Sonoran Outfitters.

"Over the past three years I have given positive reports on Todd Rice. Anyone that does any amount of hunting will find something that doesn't go right from time to time. On previous hunts, when there was a problem, Todd corrected it and made good on his promises. In November, 2013 I did a sheep hunt on Seri Indian land and took a good sheep. I was told that I could get my sheep and bring it home with me when I returned for a January mule deer hunt. In January, 2014 Todd told me that the paperwork was not ready. On March 20, 2014 I talked to Todd. He told me the paperwork was almost ready. On April 17, 2014 I emailed Todd concerning my sheep and received no response. On April 18, 2014 I called and left a message for him on his voice mail and received no response. On April 22, 2014 I started doing my own research concerning the whereabouts of my sheep. On April 23, 2014 I talked to one of Todd Rice's Mexican sheep guides. At that time the sheep guide told me he had five rams of Todd's that he was holding pending payment. My sheep was not one of them. On April 24, 2014 my sheep was located with the Seri Indians, whom I had hunted with. They are holding it pending payment. I was told that Todd did not pay them for my sheep.

"The next day I received an email from Todd telling me that he is not the problem and the sheep guides are the problem. I emailed Todd and told him there was no need to call me and give me excuses. All I wanted was my sheep legally in the United States. As of May 4, I have not heard anything further from Todd Rice.

"They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. Now I and other sheep hunters have a picture that is worth $50,000. I would advise any hunter not to hunt with Todd Rice of Sonoran Outfitters as you may be one of the ones that will be sitting at home looking at a picture instead of your trophy on the wall."

As this issue was going to press, we were copied on an email from Dennis Campbell, the executive director of Grand Slam Club/Ovis which said, in part:

"We at GSCO have received many, many complaints about Todd Rice from our members. At first, we wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but then by mid-2013 it became apparent that Todd was not correcting the numerous complaints we were getting. He had been an exhibitor with us for a couple of years (I think) and had been advertising in our magazine. He did not come to our convention in 2013, but did send his wife.

"His last advertisement with us was in our Summer 2013 issue. After that, our board decided to not take any more advertising from him and to not allow him to be an exhibitor."

In addition to the hunt reports we've received on Rice, three subscribers have sent us copies of public records searches on Todd Rice. These three reports were all obtained by the subscribers' attorneys in the process of preparing lawsuits against Rice. These reports indicate that, in 2009, Rice was found guilty on at least two felony charges of forgery in Washington State. Also of concern is a 1997 misdemeanor charge of criminal trespass and several 1997 convictions for Unlawful Hunting or Fishing. We would strongly urge anyone still considering a hunt with Rice to do their own criminal background search and draw their own conclusions.

Given the number of negative reports we've recently received on Rice, the unresolved issues outlined in those reports, Rice's criminal history, and his problems with Grand Slam Club/Ovis, we are forced to conclude that anyone booking a hunt with Sonoran Outfitters should do so only with the understanding that they are taking a huge chance with their time and money. Caveat emptor!

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Killing a little time watching TV this morning and noticed there was a Sonoran mule deer hunt on the Pursuit Channel. It was a show called Pulse Factor. Well, it turns-out that they were hunting with Todd Rice / Sonoran Outfitters! :wacko: Of course you all know how these shows are, and this one was no different. They were talking-up Sonoran Outfitters BIG TIME, including the closing statement that all shows say; "So if you're looking for a great hunt, contact Sonoran Outfitters...... bla bla bla.....".

 

I feel sorry for the 1000s of hunters who have now seen that show and may book with Todd, ignorant to the troubles he has caused people. I hope they do a quick Google search on outfitter reviews first!

 

S.

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Stan,

I find it so ironic as well. Just an FYI, I know of two other hunters that have given Todd Rice deposits for future hunts. They have since heard of the fiasco that Todd Rice and Sonoran Outfitters puts several of their clients through. Needless to say, the hunters have quite the dilemma on their hands now.

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Killing a little time watching TV this morning and noticed there was a Sonoran mule deer hunt on the Pursuit Channel. It was a show called Pulse Factor. Well, it turns-out that they were hunting with Todd Rice / Sonoran Outfitters! :wacko: Of course you all know how these shows are, and this one was no different. They were talking-up Sonoran Outfitters BIG TIME, including the closing statement that all shows say; "So if you're looking for a great hunt, contact Sonoran Outfitters...... bla bla bla.....".

 

I feel sorry for the 1000s of hunters who have now seen that show and may book with Todd, ignorant to the troubles he has caused people. I hope they do a quick Google search on outfitter reviews first!

 

S.

 

 

I am watching this now... problem is if I had not known of this thread I would have thought Sonoran Outfitters is a respectful operation.

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The show was actually filmed a couple years ago. Since I originally posted about my Uncle's story I've had five different hunters contact me with almost the exact same situation. Need to keep spreading the word to prevent as many people as possible from getting hustled by this crook.

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The show was actually filmed a couple years ago. Since I originally posted about my Uncle's story I've had five different hunters contact me with almost the exact same situation. Need to keep spreading the word to prevent as many people as possible from getting hustled by this crook.

 

 

I agree! Must keep spreading the word, just like with any crooked business! BTW, I posted a comment on the facebook page for Pulse Factor asking if they were aware of Todd's troubles....... ;)

 

S.

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Just got another email from them! Not sure how I got on their email list but I did. Still advertising hunts.

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I just got an email from these clowns saying they just got 2 more sheep tags but have to use them by april 5th and are wanting $39,000 for each tag and expect to kill a 140-160 class ram. how are these guys still around ?

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They probly aren't around. They just hope some one will give in and send them down payment checks...........BOB!

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tell them you are interested and need all their current information along with creditable / successful hunter evaluations - happy hunters along with all their contact information - make them jump thru hoops to get you to sign and send money - see where it leads knowing you'll not go

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